Microcarrier systems show great potential for the large-scale growth of cells and the production of their metabolic products. The long-term objective of our research is to develop an inorganic-based microcarrier, superior to current microcarrier products, for growing fastidious, anchorage-dependent cells. We will produce silicon-based glass microcarriers of the appropriate size and density for evaluation in suspension cultures which approximate the scaleup conditions used in large-scale cell culturing operations. Glass microcarriers have the potential to be cost effective in industrial systems because of their expected durability (i.e., potential for reuse), compatibility with a wide variety of cells, ease of washing and protease-mediated release of cells from them, and their nonabsorbent nature (i.e., neither media, sera, nor product is retained to dilute or contaminate the system). Our specific aims are to examine the growth of several types of industrially useful cells under cultivation protocols compatible with large fermenters and to compare their ability to synthesize useful end products, including infectious virus and soluble metabolic products, to that of DEAE-dextran microcarriers. We will also verify the expected advantages of glass microcarriers, such as their reusability and their high sensitivity to protease-mediated release of cells. (W)